Suspension means for drapery



June 7, 1955 J. J. MOUNTAIN SUSPENSION MEANS FOR DRAPERY Filed May 5, 1952 INVENTOR. a 12 JMoualam VQW ATTORNEY United States Patent SUSPENSION MEANS FOR DRAPERY John H. Mountain, San Rafael, Calif.

Application May 5, 1952, Serial No. 286,179

1 Claim. ((15. 16-93) The present invention relates to improvements in suspension means for drapery, and its principal object is to provide a suspension means of the character described in which the upper portions of the drapes are held in perfectly vertical position and in straight alinement with the main body portions of the drapes.

Heretofore, it has been customary to suspend drapes, particularly of the sliding type, from slides movably mounted with respect to tracks secured horizontally upon a wall surface in spaced relation thereto, the slides having downwardly presented flanges with spaced holes therein and the drapes having pins secured thereto, near their upper edges, and engaging in the holes for suspending the drapes.

In this method of hanging drapes, it is customary to attach the pins to the drapes a few inches below their upper edges to produce an overhang covering the suspension means, and to arrange the vertical flanges underneath the track with the pins loosely suspended from said flanges.

A great deal of diificulty is presented in solving the problem of causing the drapes to hang perfectly straight, since the track tends to bend the overhang forward and the loose suspension means offers no resistance to such tendency, but allows a clear break in the drapery material causing the overhang to tilt forwardly, that is, away from the wall and to thus create an unsightly appearance.

This problem has been well-known in the art, and many attempts have been made to remedy this undesirable feature. Most of these attempts have centered about improvements in the shape of the pins, and many fanciful pins have been developed in the art to straighen out the overhang and to hold the same in the vertical plane of the main body portion of the drape. But, thus far, to my knowledge, no pin has been developed that has had any appreciable effect on the tendency of the overhang to tilt forward.

In the presept invention it is proposed to provide a simple solution for the problem which allows a relatively simple pin to be used and insures perfect alinement of the overhang with the main body portion of the drape at all times.

In carrying out my invention, it is proposed to change the shape of the slide in such a manner that a section of the same projects forwardly of the track and that the forward section is provided with two spaced and vertical- 1y alined holes for receiving a vertical end portion of the pm.

The fact that the slide projects forwardly of the track eliminates or greatly lessens the tendency of the track to bend the overhang forward, and the fact that I provide two vertically spaced holes for the pin prevents the latter from tilting under the weight of the drape, and thus insures a smooth, unbroken surface of the drape clear to its upper edge with an esthetic effect far superior to that previously presented.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the new and Patented .iune 7, 1955 novel features of my suspension means will be fully defined in the claim attached hereto.

The preferred forms of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a fragmentary portion of drapery suspended in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Figure 2, a vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3, a perspective detail view of one form of track and slide;

Figure 4, a perspective detail view of another form of slide;

Figure 5, a perspective detail view of another form of slide;

Figure 6, a perspective detail view illustrating how my invention may readily be applied to a slide now in common use, as an attachment;

Figure 7, a perspective detail view illustrating how my invention may be applied to a modified form of slide now in common use; and

Figure 8, a perspective detail view similar to Figure 3, but showing a modified form of slide.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims attached hereto, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the track 1 is shown in the drawing as being in the form of a hollow rod, of elongated cross-section, with a longitudinal slot in the rear face thereof. The track may be secured by end brackets 3, upon a board 4, in. spaced relation thereto, and the board again may be secured upon a wall in any suitable manner.

A slide 5 may be shaped essentially as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and comprising a vertical flange 6 having a button 7 projecting from the front face thereof, a horizontal flange 8 projecting forwardly from the lower edge of the flange 6, a vertical flange 9 projecting downwardly from the forward edge of flange 8, and a reverse flange 19 projecting rearwardly from the lower edge of the flange 9, in parallel and spaced relation to flange 8.

The button 7 is slidable in the track 1 and joins the vertical flange 6 through a neck 11 slidable in the slot 2. The track and the button are dimensioned for the button to have an easy sliding fit in the track, without allowing of any appreciable tilting movement of the slide with respect to the track.

The horizontal flanges 8 and 10 are formed with vertically alined holes 12 and 13, rather near the vertical flange 9, and well forward of the vertical plane of the track.

The drape 14 may be of any suitable material, and may be pleated at its upper end, as at 15, the pleats being made to gradually lose themselves in the body portion of the drape material and to produce a wave effect further down. The particular form of the drape, however, forms no particular part of the invention, and any suitable form may be selected.

The drape has along the upper edge, and spaced therefrom by a few inches, a number of pins 16 secured thereon in horizontal spaced relation, the pins being preferably U-shaped in form and being mounted upon the drape in inverted position, with one leg or end secured upon the drape material, as by stitching, indicated at 17, and with the other leg or end suitably spaced from the curtain material. The first leg may terminate in an eye 18 lying flat against the drape material and tending to hold the pin against turning from its position perpendicular to the drape material.

The second leg of the pin is made for introduction in the vertically spaced holes 12 and 12') of the slide and is held by the latter in vertical position, the holes being only slightly larger than the pin diameter, whereby any tilting of the pin with-respect to the slide is rendered impossible.

The slides may be arranged on the track in any suitable or desired number, the two end slides (not shown) being preferably fixed, and two central slides, in case two cooperative drapes are used, being made more elaborate and being usually referred to as master slides, one being made to overlap on the other in case it is desired to overlap one drape with respect to the other.

The two master slides are formed as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

While the intermediate slides are relatively short, say about one-half of an inch in length, the master slides are considerably longer, say about four or five inches in length, and While the former slides contain only one set of holes 12 and 13, the master slides preferably have a plurality of sets of corresponding holes.

The master slide 2%, shown in Figure 4 has the same cross-section as the smaller slide 5, and the same nurnbers have been applied to corresponding parts, but the slide is sufliciently long to accommodate two buttons "7, and the flanges S, 9' and 10 are extended outwardly beyond the length of the flange 6 to provide a projecting tongue 21, accommodating an additional set of perforations 12 and 13.

The master slide 22 is similar to slide 20 presenting the flanges 6, 9", and 10" in the same manner, but the tongue 23 is reversed and the flange 8" is made somewhat wider so that when the two master slides are pushed toward one another as far as they will go, the tongue 23 clears and overlaps the tongue 21 which results in a complete overlap of the drapes carried thereby.

No invention is claimed for the master slides per se, which are of known construction, except for the features hereinabove pointed out as being novel.

In the form thus far described, one of each of the units 5 may be secured upon each end of the track in fixed relation, while any desired number of said units may be arranged slidable on the track, with the master slides 20 and 22 interposed between the other units. The drapes 14 may have any desired number of pins 16 secured thereto, corresponding preferably to the number of holes 12. and 13 available on the slides.

To hang the drapes, the free legs of the pins are lowered into the holes 12-13, which completes the operation. Due to the fact that the vertically alined holes 12-13 are mounted well forwardly of the track and definitely hold the pins in vertical position, there is no tendency for the upper edge or overhang of each drape to bend forward or to be tilted out of the plane of the drapes.

It is appearent that any suitable means may be used for rendering the slides operable by cords and rollers for pulling the inner edges of the drapes toward or away from one another.

Figure 6 illustrates a means for adapting my invention I 4 form to my invention, it is only necessary to provide a short channel 29 equal in length to the length of the plate and to secure, by any suitable means, the back or base 30 of the channel upon the plate, with the two flanges 31 projecting forwardly of the track and formed with the two alined holes 12-43 disposed in a vertical plane forwardly of the track.

Figure 7 shows an adaptation of my invention to a standard form of master slide in which a pair of buttons slidable in the track have an elongated plate 32 suspended therefrom, this plate being normally provided with holes for suspending pins therefrom. To apply my invention to this form, I merely provide a channel 33 of appropriate length and secure the back 34 of the channel upon the plate, with the flanges 35 projecting forwardly of the track and having the alined perforations 12-13 previously referred to.

it should be understood that, for the purposes of illustration, l have referred to two spaced flanges 8 and it), with spaced holes 1213 arranged in vertical alinement, but the space between might be filled with a suitable filler, or the three members 89-1ii might even be made in the form of a solid block, as shown in Figure 8, without departing from the spirit of my invention, as long as the holes 12l3, or one continuous hole 12, in a block structure, perform the definite function of holding the pin in vertical position, without freedom of turning movement.

There are a number of different tracks on the market, some presenting the slot rearwardly as shown throughout the drawing, some presenting the slot downwardly, and others presenting different formations.

Any changes in the form of the slides necessitated by different forms of tracks will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art, and the features of my invention may be easily applied to any modified track and slide construction.

I claim:

In means for suspending drapery from a horizontal track having a rearwardly disposed, horizontal slot, a slide comprising a vertical flange adapted for lying against the rear face of the track and having a button adapted for riding in said track with a neck for riding in the slot, and a frame structure suspended from the lower edge of the flange below the level of the track and projecting forwardly of the latter when the flange is positioned with respect to the track, the frame structure comprising a pair of spaced horizontal flanges, and the latter flanges having vertically alined holes which are forward of the vertical plane of the track when the suspension means is in use.

References (lited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,097,755 Goldsmith May 26, 1914 1,832,031 Kirsch Nov. 17, 1931 1,876,061 Kirsch Sept. 6, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 6,236 Great Britain of 1907 393,660 Great Britain June 12, 1933 400,218 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1933 

